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H. J. RUSHTON.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING CERAMIC WARE WHILE BEING FIRED IN OVENS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. I917- 3 SHEETS-SHEET Patented Aug; 12, 1919;

H. J. RUSHTON.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING CERAMIC WARE WHILE BEING FIRED IN OVENS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.10, I917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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H. l. RUSHTON.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING CERA MIC WARE WH ILE BEING FIRED IN OVENS APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. 1911.

1,313,018. PatentedAug. 12,1919.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT onmcn.

HERBERT JOHN RUSHTON, 0F SOUTHFIEIIDS, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING CERAMIC WARE WHILE BEING FIRED IN 0V ENS.

Application filed November 10, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, HERBERT JOHN RUSH- TON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Southfields, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented Improvements in or Relating to'Means for Supporting Ceramic Ware While Being Fired in Ovens, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to the means used for supporting dishes, saucers, tiles and other articles of ceramic ware during the process of firing them in glost.

An object of the invention is the provision of ware-supporting means that shall.

be considerably less in weight than the gen- 7 erally adopted fireclay boxes or saggars, so as to contribute to fuel economy by greatly increasing the relative weight of the ware, which constitutes productivelfiringt A further object of the invention is the provision of supporting means so constructed and arranged that the pieces of Ware can be readily placed in position and examined, and any of them found to be defective or in poor condition can be readily removed and replaced by another piece or other pieces of ware without disturbing the remaining pieces. I

For these purposes, ware-supporting means according to the invention embodies a holder or support of fireclay or other refractory material comprising a base or bottom plate carrying end walls but no side walls. Such a holder or support is hereinafter called the ware holder. .When. the ware to be fired is not self-supporting, the upper ends of-the end walls of the ware holder are provided with recesses or slots to receive and support the ends of one or more longitudinal bars provided, or each provided along itslength with a number of pins or projections, (hereinafter referred to as pins), the bar or each bar with its pins being also usually made of fireelay or other refractory material. The pins on the bar, or each bar, are arranged to hold pieces of ware in a more or less vertical position and some of them, namely those adjacent to the end walls, also serve to hold the bar in place and prevent endwise motion thereof and of the pieces of ware supported in position by the pins or projections thereon. On the base or bottom plate of the ware=holder maybe Iaid, longitudinal supporting rods,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aug. 12, 1919.

Serial No. 201,304.

preferably of triangular shape in cross section, for the pieces of ware that are not self supporting to rest on. The ware holder will usually be provided with only one upperlongitudinal bar with a set of holding pins but for some kinds'of ware two or more such bars maybe used. 3 a 7 Two or more ware-holders such as described may be adapted to be superposed one on the other and when the ware is self-supporting, that is to say each article can rest 'on its own bottom, the bar with pins can be dispensed with. r

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrative of apparatus embodying it." In these drawings, Figure 1 is a conventional perspective view, and Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a longitudinal view and a transverse sectional view of one form of supporting means according to the invention. Figs. land 5 show respectively in plan and vertical section, and to alarger scale than Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a portion of the said ware supporting means. Fig. 6 is aview analogous to Fig. 5, but illustrating a slightly modified construction. Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 1, and 2 respectively, but illustrating the use of alternative means for supporting and separating the'ware. Fig. 9 is a perspective View to a larger scale than Figs. 7 and 8, of one of the thimbles shown in Fig. 8. Figs. 10 and 11 are detail sectional views of portions of the ware support shown in Figs. 1 and 7. Fig. 12 'isa perspective representation of a modified form of supports according to the invention, adapted to be superposed and carried one on the other.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, comprises a ware-holder made of fireclay or other refractory material and comprising a base or bottom plate 1 carrying end walls 2 the upper ends of which are provided with recesses or slots 3 to receive and support the ends of an upper longitudi nal bar 4;, the said ware-holder being open at its sides so as to enable ware to be, readily inserted in it and removed therefrom. This bar is provided along its length with a number of pins 5, the bar with its pins being also made of fireclay or other refractory material. The bar at is perforated along its length and the pins 5 are maderemovable therefrom and of any desired length so that.

they can be easily removed and changed for others of a different length, to suit the particular pieces of ware A to be fired. The bar scan be readily placed in the recesses or slots 3 in the top of the end walls 2, thus enabling the ware-holder to be quickly adapted for use. The bar 4: may be flat, as shown, or of other stronger section and the holes therein be vertical as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the pins 5 extending therethrough will also be vertical. Oi the holes may be inclined to the vertical, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the pins 5 will also be inclined to the vertical in order the better to Support some articles of ware. In this case the upper side of the bar may be provided with a number of flat surfaces 7 arranged at right angles to the holes to support the heads of the pins. The ware-holder and bar and pins may, in cases designed for use in sufliciently low temperatures, be of metal in lieu of fireclay or other highly refractory material.

In some cases the bar may, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, be constituted by a row of the well known potters thimbles 9 adapted at its ends to be carried on the end walls 20f the ware-holder. In this case spurs 10 on the thimblcs serve as the pins or projections to hold the ware in position. Fig. 9 shOWs one of the thimbles 9 separately. The bottom of thebase plate 1, in order to enable it. to stand firmly on an uneven or irregular surface, is provided with three short legs or lugs two of which, namely 11, are arranged at or near opposite sides of the base plat-e 1 at one end thereof and the other, namely 12 is arranged centrally at the opposite end of the plate 1.

When ware-holders of the kind referred to are to be used singly, the end walls 2 may be of triangular shape as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in Figs. 7 and 8, to minimize Weight and, for the same reason, they may be made thin and provided with flanges 13 at the sides and bottom.

When it is desired to use two or more ware-holders of the kind referred to one above the other, the end walls may be made of square or rectangular shape as shown in F ig.- 12 so as to provide bearing surfaces 1 1 and 15 on the end walls of a lower ware holder for the feet or lugs 11 and 12 of an upper one to rest upon. In this case, the two feet or lugs 11 at one end of an upper wareholder can rest directly at 11 upon the upper surfaces of one of the end walls of the lower ware-holder at opposite sides of the recess or slot 3 therein for carrying one end of the longitudinal bar 1 of the lower ware-holder. The central foot or lug 12 at the other end of the upper ware-holder may rest upon the smoothly finished prepared surface or seat 15 formed in the top of the other end wall of the lower ware-holder above the slot 3 extending through such end.

wall below the seat 15 for carrying the other end of the longitudinal bar. The central foot or lug 12 has a smooth lower surface and may bear upon one or more rollers or balls of refractory material, or upon a bed of sand or other granular material, placed upon the smoothly finished prepared surface or seat 15 on the lower ware-holder. WVhen a number of ware-holders are thus placed one upon another as described, then, during the process of heating up, the more rapid expansion of any individual wareholder is readily provided for by the sliding movement of the yielding surface separated by the rollers, balls, or the granular material, thus reducing to a minimum, injurious stresses which would otherwise be set up in the ware-holders. In the same way, the ware-holders are permitted to move relatively to one another when being subjected to the process of cooling, during which period more or less unequal contraction takes place between them. Thus, by assisting the unavoidable expansion and contraction due to heating up and subsequent cooling, the life of a ware-holder constructed according to the invention is considerably prolonged and wastage and repair reduced.

The ware A shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 is supported at its upper edges by the pins 5, or the spurs. 10, and at its lower edges by saddles 17 of the cross section shown in Fig. 11.

are-holders of the same or of very similar construction to that shown in Fig. 12 may also be used without the bar and pin attachment, or the thimbles for carrying jugs, teapots, cups, vases and the numerous other varieties of ware of a self-supporting character. When the object in vieW is merely to carry self-supporting ware, the form of the ware-holder may be simplified by the omission of. the slots 3 or like arrangements for the support of a horizontal bar with pinsor a row of thimbles with pro jections, but the form of ware-holder shown in Fig. 12 is generally preferable,as it has a more extended range of utility, while the parts 11, 12, 14:, 15 retain their advantage of providing for freedom of movement during expansion and contraction.

are-holders according to the invention are more particularly adapted for use in muffle ovens and ovens of the Dressler type wherein the products of combustion of the heating mediumdo not come into contact with the goods being fired. Ovens of the Dressler type are described in the specifications of Conrad Dresslers United States Patents Nos. 1,023,628, 1,116,036, 1,193,245 and 1,17 0,428,

What I claim is 1. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder comprising a rectangular base and end walls, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs. Y

2. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, a plurality of superposed open-sided ware-holders each comprising a base and end walls, the base of each ware-holder being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug'and at its other end with a pair oflaterally arranged feet or lugs and the upper ends of the end walls of each ware-holder being provided with bearing surfaces adapted to support the feet or lugs on the superposed ware-holder and admit of their moving longitudinally thereon.

3. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, superposable ware-holders of refractory material each comprising a base provided on its lower face at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs and a pair of rectangular end walls carried by said base, one of these end walls being provided on its upper face or edge with a pair of bearing surfaces for the lateral feet or lugs of a superposed holder, and the other of the said end walls being provided at the central portion of its upper face or edge with a bearing surface for the central foot or lug of the superposed holder.

4:. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder comprising a rectangular base and end walls the upper ends of which are adapted to carry a longitudinal ware-supporting member, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

5. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder comprising a rectangular base and end walls the up per ends of which are formed with bearings adapted to support a longitudinal waresupporting member and retain it in place laterally, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

G. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder of refractory material comprising a rectangular base and end walls carried by said base, and a longitudinal bar supported at its ends by said end walls and provided along its length with a number of downwardly extending ware pins or projections, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a-central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

7. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder of refractory material comprising a rectangular base and end walls carried by said "base, a longitudinal bar supported at its ends by said end walls and provided along its length with a number of perforations, and downwardly extending wvare-supporting pins inserted in said perforations, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs;

8, For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder of refractory material comprising a rectangular base and end walls carried by said base, a longitudinal bar supported at its ends 'by said end walls and provided along its length with a number of perforations, and downwardly extending ware-supporting pins difiering in length inserted in said perforations, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

9. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder of refractory material comprising a rectangular base and end walls carried by said base, a longitudinal bar supported at its ends by said end walls and provided along its length with a number of downwardly extending ware pins or projections and saddles arranged on said base, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

10. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open sided ware-holder of refractory material comprising a rectangular base and end walls carried by said base and provided at their upper ends with bearings, a longitudinal bar supported at its ends in said bearings and provided along its length with a number of inclined perforations, and uponits upper side with a number of surfaces inclined at right angles to the perforations, and headed pins extending throu h the perforations in positions inclined to t e longitudinal bar, said inclined surfaces serying to support the heads of the Pins, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

11. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, an open-sided ware-holder of refractory material comprising a rectangular base provided on its lower face at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end With a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs and end walls carried by said base and provided at their upper ends below their end surfaces with bearings adapted to carry a longitudinal bar provided along its length with downwardly extending pins, said base being provided on its lower side at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of laterally arranged feet or lugs.

12. For supporting ceramic ware during firing, superposable open-sided ware-holders of refractory material each comprising a base furnished on its lower face at one end with a central foot or lug and at its other end with a pair of terminal feetsor lugs, and end walls carried by said base and provided at their upper ends with slotted bearings and a longitudinal bar supported at its ends in said slotted bearings and provided along its length with downwardly extending pins,

one of the said end walls of each ware holder being provided on its upper face or edge with a pair of bearing surfaces for the lateral feet or lugs of a superposed ware-holder and the other end wall of said ware-holder being provided at the central portion of its upper face or edge with a bearing surface for the central foot or lug of the said superposed holder.

Signed at London, England this fifteenth day. of October, 1917.

HERBERT JOHN RUSHTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

